Unknown Voyage
by RichInsanity
Summary: AU. Mundok was known for his tendency to not abandon orphans, going as far as to adopt them. So it wasn't really surprising that on one of his travels to Earth Kingdom, he didn't hesitate to take a certain greenhead and purple-eyed boy under his wing. WindTribe!Jae-Ha Jae-HaxYona
**Summary: AU. Mundok was known for his tendency to not abandon orphans, going as far as to adopt them. So it wasn't really surprising that on one of his travels to Earth Kingdom, he didn't hesitate to take a certain greenhead and purple-eyed boy under his wing. WindTribe!Jae-Ha Jae-HaxYona**

 **.•*•.•*•.**

 **You see, I asked a friend about what AU I should write for another fanfic, then I realized that I should write a fanfic for one of her favorite stories, since she is my best friend and a great one at that.**

 **So, an early birthday present to you, our dear Cherub.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Akatsuki no Yona, just for clarification.**

 **On with the show!**

 **.•*•.•*•.**

 **00\. Unexpected Meeting**

 **.•*•.•*•.**

Jae-Ha yearned for freedom. He wanted to hold it and never let it go, but the rattling of chains, the cold metal against his skin, the darkness of the hut, it always brought an end to his fantasies.

He hated his village, and he hated the people as well.

But most of all, he hated King Hiryuu and his fate.

He just wanted to be free, free from his fate that tied him down ever since his birth.

 **.•*•.•*•.**

 _Freedom._

He has always waited for this moment, the very instant that shackles no longer binded him, no one to pull him back to the stable ground where he'll be chained once more.

Yet, he never thought it would taste bittersweet.

Closing his eyes, he remembered the last moments that he had at _that place_ , and made a promise to himself to move on. He wouldn't let anybody define him, nobody would dictate his fate, and no one would take his freedom away.

He opened his eyes, which was purple in color, rivaling that of an amethyst's, and admired the sky to the fullest.

How the currents of the air whipped his green hair, how the wind rushed by his ears, and how the sky seemed so wide and free. Jae-Ha took it all in, the corner of his lips twitching upwards.

His eyes took in the soft blue of the sky, and for the first time, let himself relax, humming a made up tune with a small smile on his face.

He let himself act like a kid that he never got the chance to be.

Jae-Ha enjoyed it so much that he forgot that his time in the air was limited, and didn't notice how he was slowly falling.

' _I could stay here forever!_ ' Jae-Ha thought to himself giddily, letting his inner child take control of himself, and doing flips in mid-air, unknowingly making his fall go faster.

The moment he realized it, it was too late, Jae-Ha was already inside a group of trees. The branches were thin and weak, just like the trunk, he knew that if he were to use his right foot to jump on either of it, it would just crumble, making his fall hurt much more.

' _Crap,_ ' the boy mentally cursed, ' _This- this doesn't look like it will end well.'_

Jae-Ha raised his arms over his face, and mentally braced himself to the onslaught of pain to come. His legs bended, and his right leg slightly jutting out than his left one, so that it would receive most of the impact.

"Right Leg of the Ryokuryuu," Jae-Ha gritted out, "don't fail me now!"

If his leg seemed to get warmer after saying those words, Jae-Ha ignored it, and instead tried to release the tension coiling around his muscles to alleviate the pain he might receive from impact.

The branches were like needles against his flesh, not going too deep thankfully, but it gave Jae-Ha scratches on his arms and he didn't doubt that some got stuck on his hair.

A particular group of branches grew around each other, making it thicker and sturdier, and it was just his luck that this particular branch was right in front of him. He put his right foot over it, hoping that the branch will hold out against any force that his foot might give.

Barely touching the branch, it cracked against the pressure of his foot, surprising him and making him flail his arms wildly, trying to grasp at anything that would hold his weight.

The back of his head collided with a tree trunk, as Jae-Ha's vision became distorted, darkness surrounded him and his consciousness faded.

 **.•*•.•*•.**

Jae-Ha's body was accustomed to pain, from all the beatings he received from his failed escapes, but that didn't meant that it didn't hurt. The fall was quite surprising, but in his defence it was the first time that he used the power of the Ryokuryuu without restraint, and fear that somebody would catch him and shove him in a hut, chaining him up once again.

Other than that, using the right leg of his was second nature to him, he should really just watch where he was going.

Stretching his senses out, and testing his limbs, the second thing Jae-Ha felt was surprise.

The ground wasn't supposed to be soft, and judging how he didn't feel any itch, it wasn't grass. He didn't feel wet and slimy, so it couldn't be mud.

A futon?

He- he hasn't slept in one of those before.

Jae-Ha heard footsteps, and he forced himself to calm down. He feigned sleep to gain more information about his current situation.

"Messy kid," a deep voice grumbled half-heartedly, "you shouldn't kick your blanket away, its cold at night."

Something soft and warm was put on top of him, and Jae-Ha did his best so he wouldn't twitch. Not moving an inch, and breathing shallow breaths, he strained his ears to hear any sign that his uninvited visitor went away.

Nothing.

Jae-Ha stiffened in surprise when a hand was put on his forehead, it was rough and calloused, but it was large and warm.

His eyes felt watery all of a sudden, and he didn't even know why.

"Rest up kid," the voice ordered gruffly, "we'll head somewhere tomorrow."

The warmth left his forehead, and he could hear the footsteps going farther.

He didn't understand why he both felt relieved and uncomfortable at the same time.

' _It must've been the fall,_ 'Jae-Ha concluded. ' _That's why I feel uncomfortable._ '

When dawn came Jae-Ha's eyes was red, and the pillow that he laid his head on was oddly wet.

His uninvited visitor didn't comment on it.

 **.•*•.•*•.**

Son Mundok, Leader of the Wind Tribe, didn't know if this was the Gods way of speaking to him.

But then again, when he saw the fallen figure of a boy that looked no older than twelve years, there was no way that he could just ignore it.

If it was a sign from the Gods that he should adopt the kid, then he will.

The kid looked like the wind could snap him into two, and other than his face, no other part of his body seemed recently beaten up. His blood just boiled when he saw the old bruises that decorated the kid's body.

He should really just kidnap the kid already.

But his circumstances was different from Hak, he wasn't a toddler, it would be hard for him to adapt.

...he'll wait for the kid's answer if he wanted to be adopted or not, if he didn't, he could just keep an eye on him in the shadows.

It was the best plan he could come up with.

Mundok sighed, and the others said it would be an easy task.

' _My first day on Earth Kingdom Land, and I encounter a kid with his face all beaten up._ ' Mundok grumbled, ' _This trip looks promising already._ '

 **.•*•.•*•.**

If any traveler were to pass them by, they would have thought that the two were father and son, ignoring the fact that the man's hair was a unique color of gray, whilst the boy's was a deep green, and the boy's purple eyes a contrast to the man's blue irises.

Not minding the distance between the two of them.

"Oi, ossan!" Jae-Ha called out, his face not showing any emotions. "Why'd you help me?"

The 'ossan' twitched and turned his head, glaring half-heartedly at the kid that was a few metres away from him.

"Address your elders with respect, got it brat?" He just started twitching more violently when Jae-Ha stuck his tongue out and clasped his hands behind his head. The young boy, in the other hand, wondered about the intentions of the odd man.

He bandaged his wounds, applied salve on the injuries at his face, and allowed him to eat his food. The man didn't even know if he was a thief or an associate of bad guys, and he trusted _him_.

Wasn't the outside world supposed to be, every man for himself?

' _Or,'_ Jae-Ha thought to himself darkly, ' _That's what the villagers wanted for us to think._ '

An image of his predessecor, Garou, entered his mind. The image when he threw himself to the villagers that pursued them, just to avoid Jae-Ha from seeing his death. He wasn't stupid, the moment his right leg felt the sudden boost in power he knew what would happened, and the idiot wanted him to think it wasn't his fault that he was dying.

But, it was-

"Ossan," Jae-Ha begun in a deceptively calm voice, his temple twitching. "The hell are you doing!?"

"Hm?" The man hummed absent-mindedly, "What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Going to your funeral." Jae-Ha replied without missing a beat.

A dark aura seemed to surround Jae-Ha's traveling companion, only for it to dissipate as quickly as it appeared, the man sighing tiredly.

Jae-Ha knew that what he said was the truth, because only people that were ready to get killed would fight a camp of bandits _willingly._

A frown marred his young face, realizing that there was something off, and pondered about the fact that there was a sign that said there were bandits by the forest, right beside the path they were taking. Was that normal? Because that was pretty stupid if you asked him, why would they say where their hiding spot is? To deter people from approaching? That would do the exact opposite.

"Kid," the man began patiently, if a little touch exasperated. "I'm a soldier, an officer at that, and I was assigned a task to survey the Earth Kingdom. If I see a sign like this and ignore it, that would not only be a slight to my status, it would also make me look like a coward. But most importantly, whether the sign is true or not, it's a threat to people and I can't just leave it be."

The boy stared, and he didn't particularly care that the man was getting uncomfortable. Jae-Ha continued to stare until the man left stiffly, leaving him behind, and the promise that he'll come flying if he yelled for help.

The corner of his lips twitched upwards, ' _He's an odd man._ ' Jae-Ha thought amusedly. ' _But there isn't anything wrong with that._ '

 **.•*•.•*•.**

As the man disappeared in the thick foliage, Jae-Ha moved to the side of the path and sat on a base of a tree, the branches and leaves giving sufficient shade. Tilting his head upwards, he could see how the rays of the sun were peeking through, and he caught a glimpse of the sky.

It never failed to awe him.

Immersed in the wonder that is the sky, Jae-Ha failed to notice that the surrounding area was deathly silent, the soft wind only rustling the leaves every now and then.

After a few minutes, the shouts began.

Jae-Ha didn't have a clue on what he was supposed to do. Running wasn't an option, but he didn't want to show anyone, even Mundok, what he was capable of. It was too risky. But, Jae-Ha couldn't just leave the man to fend for himself.

A frown made way to his face, his right hand mussing his green hair. Jae-Ha already knew what he should do, so second-guessing wouldn't help him in anyway, shape, or form.

Shaking his right leg, Jae-Ha took a deep breath, and braced himself in any possible situation. Which ranged from bandits, outlaws, criminals, even wild animals, which was highly unlikely because of the varying shouts. It was best to be prepared.

As he entered the foliage with all the grace of a newborn fawn, Jae-Ha depended on his keen hearing, and that was when he noticed something odd. The shouts had an odd tinge, like it meant something else than anger and frustration.

That was the first time Jae-Ha heard shouts of happiness, even if he didn't realize it at first. Because he didn't expect that a family will wait for one of their own.

As he approached the area where the noise was coming from, he could hear the voices of various men, and even teenagers five or so years older than him. All wearing clothes similar to the man who gave him shetlter, even if his was a little bit fancier.

Crouching in a bush, Jae-Ha was amazed by the sight he saw- men gathering around his supposed savior, giving him pats behind his back and wide smiles on their faces- that he didn't notice sharp sapphire eyes watching his every move.

 **.•*•.•*•.**


End file.
